{week 2} Or the week that my schedule gets Ragnar'd

Nani is a great recovery run partner.
Lots of stopping!

So far, so good. My first week of training for CIM went well. I ran all my scheduled runs and I rested (well, didn't run) on all my scheduled rest days. This week I'm racing my 6th Ragnar Relay Race. My first Ragnar Trail. More on that below. 

Week 1 Recap

Goal Mileage: 33 miles

Monday, August 1: REST/XT Day - 30 minutes cycle class + weight-lifting

Tuesday, August 2: 8 miles with 4 miles at lactate threshold (8:02-8:31/mile)
Okay. So, 4 miles at tempo. Still trying to learn "comfortably hard" tempo pace and go by feel.

The 4 miles at tempo: 7:29; 7:39; 7:39; 7:40. 

However when you look at Grade Adjusted Pace (GAP): 8:27; 8:11; 8:09: 7:42, I was pretty much spot on my pace goals. 9.5 miles (8:34/mile avg)

Wednesday, August 3: REST/XT Day - 30 minutes cycle class + weight-lifting

Thursday, August 4: 9 miles, general aerobic (9:10-10:22/mile). I woke up crazy early to meet up with the Runegades for a 4:30 am mid-week longish run. 10.2 miles (9:12/mile avg)

Friday, August 5: REST/XT Day - 30 minutes Tabata

Saturday, August 6: 4 miles, recovery (9:10-10:22/mile). Recovery run with Nani (#dogmiles). Got to sleep in and run a little later in the morning (8 am) because it cooled down a bit from the intense heat levels we've been subjected to this summer. 4.8 miles (9:33/mile avg)

Sunday, August 7: 12 miles, medium-long (8:31-10:22/mile). The plan was to take this run easy, try to average 9:30/mile pace. My legs had a mind of their own and I think because I know this route very well, I went a *bit* faster than planned. 13.0 miles (8:39/mile average)

For Week 2 of Advanced Marathoning, I'm scheduled to run a 13 mile run with last eight at goal marathon pace. In my head I'm counting this run as that one.

Total Week 1 Mileage: 37.5 miles

Ragnar'd Schedule (Week 2: 16 weeks until CIM)

Goal Mileage: 36 miles

Because I'm running Ragnar Trail Appalachians - WV, I'm rearranging the Advanced Marathoning plan to fit the race.

Monday, August 8: REST/XT Day

Tuesday, August 9: 8 miles + speed (10 x 100 meter strides at end)

Wednesday, August 10: 5 miles, recovery

Thursday, August 11: REST Day - Fly to Pittsburgh, drive to campsite in West Virginia.

Friday, August 12: Ragnar Trail, 1st Leg (3.5 miles) & 2nd Leg (6.5 miles)

Saturday, August 13: Ragnar Trail, 3rd Leg (4.6 miles)

Sunday, August 14: 8-10 miles or whatever I need to hit mileage goal this week as everybody knows Ragnar distances on paper often don't match reality.

After Ragnar, I have a week off work for a staycation. I won't have to wake up as early for runs, but I probably still will. 

Fats and Facts for Friday

4:30 am runs with run buddies

Happy Friday! I hope you've left the week behind in good places and that your weekend is filled with adventure.

1. Marathon training has started! Unlike last year, most of my runs have been with other people. I'm working on pacing and nutrition (more on that below), but I also need to up my mental game. 

I came across a great article from nymag.com: Big Goals Can Backfire. Olympians Show Us What to Focus on Instead. The theory is that sometimes when you focus on a big goal it can lead to some not-so-good outcomes. It's best to set a big goal and focus on the process. Work on nailing the workouts, nutrition and whatever steps you need to do to reach your goal. 

Healthy fats and omega-3s

2. Fats. I met with my nutritionist and although my diet is generally healthy, she recommended that I include more healthy fats. In addition to providing anti-inflammatory effects, essential fatty acids and better nutrient absorption, healthy fats will help me increase my total caloric intake(which I need as I increase training) with out adding volume. Healthy fats include: nuts, fish, eggs, avocados, coconut/olive oil and full-fat dairy products. As a child of the 80s/90s, full-fat dairy is mentally the hardest to change. I've been eating non-fat yogurt and milk since I was wee.  My target daily macro composition: 50-55% Carbs, 25-30% Fats, 20% Protein. The day before a long run, I aim for 60% (or more) Carbs. 

Tuesday tempo run made "easy" with friends

3. The Great North Run. It's the world's largest 1/2 marathon (close to 60,000 athletes!) and it takes place every September in Newcastle, England. And guess what? Paul's cousin is getting married September 2017 in London. I'm determined to run the race. Unfortunately, it's not guaranteed because you have to do a ballot entry (lottery in UK speak). The lottery opens Jan/Feb 2017 and I will be crossing my fingers that I get in! (There is an associated 5K the day before that I will run if I don't get in. The consolation prize is that Paul will run that distance with me.)  

4. Ragnar Trail Appalachians-WV. I'm getting ready to run this race with the #trailbirds, an all Oiselle Volée team. Although I've participated in many Ragnar races, this is my first trail one. I'm both excited and nervous (especially about trail running at night). I also looking forward to visiting West Virginia--another state to cross off my list!

5. Olympic Track & Field events start August 12! I'll be watching via social media because I will be camping (see #4).

META-Review (or am I lazy?)-Ragnar Wasatch Back

We all started off wearing  Oiselle
singlets for our 1st leg. 

A meta-analysis is a type scientific study that batches the results of multiple studies to look for patterns, similarities and/or differences. It's good for combining the results of smaller studies to get more statistical power (Together we're stronger!). A proper meta-analysis has specific methodology and takes into account some assumptions. 

This is not a proper meta-analysis. This is me being lazy. Hey, I'm recovering! 
Ragnar Wasatch Back is the founding race of the Ragnar series. It is also the most challenging course (Hills! Elevation! Heat!) and the most beautiful. I would definitely run it again. I ran as part of the Oiselle Bird Machine team.

Bird Machine Reviews

Runner Leana Race Report: Ragnar Wasatch Back

Running is Democratic Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back Race Recap 2015

Travis and Marilyn Keys (Adventures in Life & Running) Ragnar Wasatch Back


Just Keep Running Ragnar Wasatch Back Recap

Non-Bird Machine Reviews

Blognar 70 Photos from Ragnar Wasatch Back that Capture the True Spirit of Ragnar

Live Free and Run Race Recap: Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back UT (Colleen was part of  Team Nuun. We had a friendly competition with them during the race because a few Oiselle Bird Machine mates are Nuun ambassadors as well & they had their team pre-race dinner at Squatters--the same brewery we went to!)

Scoot-a-DOOT Baby Got Wasatch Back

Bird Machine Blogs to follow

Leana: Runner Leana

Luisa: Running is Democratic

Emily: Life, Fitness, and Me

Paulette: Just Keep Running

Of course, typical of laziness. My meta-review may have been more work than just writing one myself. When will I learn?

I will update this post as I find more reports. 

My only night picture

{base training: week 3}

Two lessons learned during week two

One: I need to run/train at elevation more often.

Two: Hills. Do more hills. Do more hills on trails.

I'm still buzzing from Ragnar Wasatch Back. I'm still in awe of the strong women of the Bird Machine (3rd place in women open division).

I upgraded to Strava Premium (although the free version still rocks). Now my runs receive a suffer score which rates how hard I worked. My Ragnar runs were rated Extreme and Epic. 

Base-Training: Week Two Recap

Monday: 4.3 miles recovery run (using heart rate monitor, bpm <143. This is hard, especially when running uphill.)
Tuesday: 4.3 miles easy run on treadmill
Wednesday: 6.5 miles speedwork, probably fartleks pre-race workout on track 
Thursday: 6 miles + 4 x 20-second strides
Friday: Ragnar Wasatch Back 1st leg-7.2 miles, hill run
Saturday: Ragnar Wasatch Back 2nd & 3rd legs-9.6 miles + 4 x 20-second strides & 3.1 miles
Sunday: Rest or 3 mile easy run HA! What was I thinking? I rested like a champ.

Total Mileage: 41.2 miles

Week 3 is unusual because I am off work Monday-Wednesday  to catch up on sleep and recover from the weekend. Moving from the track to the road for this week's speed work. 

Base-Training: Week Three

Goal Mileage: 44 miles

Monday: 5 miles recovery run with Nani
Tuesday: 6 miles run with Nani + sleep late
Wednesday: 7 miles with three miles at tempo + sleep late
Thursday: 4.4 miles + Cycle class
Friday: 1.0 mile warm-up jog, Tabata class, 4.3 treadmill miles 8x30 seconds @ 6% incline, Cycle class. 5 miles, hills
Saturday: 4.0 miles easy run with Nani + Cycle class
Sunday: 13.0 miles with 8 x 2 min hard/2 min easy

Moving to my heart {base training: week 2}

Utah: Ragnar Wasatch Back

From my Believe Training Journal question of the week: 

I respect my one and only body by...

• Fueling for strength
• Resting for recovery
• Believing for magic

Shift from thinking to feeling--feel yourself accomplishing your goal. Take that feeling out of your head and put it into your heart. Embrace it as the reality.

 ~Erin Taylor, Founder & Head Coach of Jasyoga

My first week of base training went well. No hiccups or surprises. I ran a bit more than I intended and didn't run a traditional long run because my mileage for the week was good. My goal was to run 39 miles and ended up running 41. 

Base-training: Week One Recap

Monday: 3.1 miles easy run (using heart rate monitor, bpm <150)

Tuesday: 7.4 miles easy run with 4x20 second strides at the end of run

Wednesday: 6.5 miles run, speedwork (Strava WoW: The #Moneghetti)

Thursday: 5.4 miles easy run (run on treadmill) + TRX class

Friday: 6 miles, hill run (+1 mile warm-up run before Tabata class)

Saturday: 3-5 miles easy run 3.4 miles easy run + 5.2 miles group run

Sunday: 10-12 miles long run  3.2 miles easy run

Total mileage: 41.5 miles

Week 2 is a bit unusual because I'm traveling to Utah for Ragnar Wasatch Back. It's my 4th Ragnar race and my first with an Oiselle team (Bird Machine). My long run will be my 2nd leg of the race (9.5 miles) estimated to start at 12:30 am Saturday. 

Base-Training: Week 2

Goal mileage: 41 miles

Monday: 4.3 miles recovery run (using heart rate monitor, bpm <143. This is hard, especially when running uphill.)
Tuesday: 4.3 miles easy run on treadmill
Wednesday: 6.5 miles speedwork, probably fartleks pre-race workout on track
Thursday: 6 miles + 4 x 20-second strides
Friday: Ragnar Wasatch Back 1st leg-7.2 miles, hill run
Saturday: Ragnar Wasatch Back 2nd & 3rd legs-9.6 miles + 4 x 20-second strides & 3.1 miles
Sunday: Rest or 3 mile easy run HA! What was I thinking? I rested like a champ.